Primitivism, Essay Example

Primitivism is a style of artwork mainly practiced by self-trained artists who cultivate their talents in an imaginary and renewed method. The ideas and elements of primitive art can be witnessed in various artworks which include paintings designed and developed by artists Pablo Picasso (Spanish) and the likes of Paul Gauguin (French). The predisposition in the late-19th-century and the early-20th-century art styles were practiced with the aim of simplifying pictorial depictions through the use primitive art elements. These elements were obtained or adopted from the prehistoric, specific individuals, medieval, children’s art and non-European ancient.

The knowledge of primitivism as an innovative method of presenting contemporary is becoming common in the modern art environment. Primitivism is characterized by the utilization of acute ambiguities or vagueness. It also features a dominating essence of positivism. Most 19^th to 20^th century artists decided to rely on reality form of primitive life. Primitivism was established on the grounds that the artistic and visual incorporation of artistic cultures, both prehistoric and pre-modern had beforehand been deliberated as being cruel or brutal.

However, throughout the different cultures the artists developed a high form cognitive reasoning that pursued the emotional wholeness and spontaneous precision method of observing the world art. Although, this was in disparity compared to naturalism, impressionism and analytical realism. Such pursuits for expressiveness and simplicity formed the bases of trying various forms of primitive art by fellows of the prominent artistic movements affiliated to the late 19th and subsequent early 20th centuries. In these cases, the artists regularly abandoned all the behaviors of the European artistic beliefs that had been earlier on recognized and experienced during the 16th century to the late 19^th century.

Since primitivism was not a single, it was linked to particular iconic movements, for example, the Man Ray, Gift (1921) showcases one of the famous icons that represents the surrealist movement. The primitive art used by Man Ray date back to the times of war. The art piece mainly consists of iron dating from the 1920s and the 1930s. The Gift is an archetypal design of Man Ray’s double-edged humor. Its brutal and aggressive implications need not be stressed as this can be witnessed in this particular piece. Like in Man Ray’s, Gift (1921), the intentions depicted in the artwork were caused surrealism, the art movement which was much more subtle. This movement was also portrayed by Salvador Dali, Accommodations of Desire (1929).

One other example showing the use of primitivism in art is the Picasso’s collage “Still Life with Chair Caning”. This particular work of art initiated and stimulated the development many artistic primitivism appreciation in the modern art world. In count to assisting and facilitating the advancement in the collage art world movement, his picture (painting) innovated the fashion for the arts and crafts movement and also the all avante garde art made in the 20^th century. Moreover, Picasso’s “Still Life with Chair Caning” and what is currently left of the collage art movement aided in shifting the thinking of art. This was achieved through blending the industrial and commercial objects with popular culture.

Art is made up of everyone, not only the socially elite. The various artistic features that depict primitivism in the contemporary or popular culture include the expressions made by Gauguin. One prime example of the demonstrated by the artist’s freedom in using sexual fantasies from a male point of view with an effort to vitalize concepts of primitiveness, that is in the painting Spirit of the Dead Watching, 1892. These works art help one to better understand the origin of primitivism in modern art.

Works Cited

Gale, Matthew. Dada & Surrealism A&i. Phaidon Press, 1997.

Ray, Man. Man Ray, Photographs, 1920-1934. East River Press, 1934.

Picasso, Pablo. “Still Life with Chair Caning. 1912.” Musée Picaso, Paris (1881).

Gauguin, Paul. “Spirit of the Dead Watching. 1892.” Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.